New York is ready. The tennis world is watching. And Novak Djokovic has another piece of history sitting tantalisingly close.

The 2026 US Open begins its men's and women's singles main draw on Sunday, August 30, at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York. It is the fourth and final Grand Slam tournament of the tennis calendar.

For Djokovic, however, this isn't simply another trip to New York.

At 39, the Serbian is chasing a record 25th Grand Slam singles title, a number that would move him clear of Margaret Court's 24 major singles titles and give him the outright record across men's and women's tennis.

And naturally, because tennis apparently doesn't believe in making things easy, the road to history comes with plenty of obstacles.

First, What Makes a Grand Slam So Important?

For anyone new to tennis, the term Grand Slam refers to the sport's four biggest tournaments:

1. Australian Open — Melbourne
2. French Open — Paris
3. Wimbledon — London
4. US Open — New York

Winning one of these is considered one of the biggest achievements in tennis.

Winning all four in a calendar year is the extremely rare Calendar Grand Slam.

Djokovic already owns an extraordinary 24 Grand Slam singles titles. But his next one has proved remarkably difficult to find.

His last major triumph came at the 2023 US Open, meaning a victory in New York would end a three-year wait for another Grand Slam crown.

Djokovic's Road to No. 25 Begins Against Navone

Djokovic's campaign starts on Sunday night against Argentina's Mariano Navone on Arthur Ashe Stadium.

The match is scheduled for the evening session, not before 7 p.m. local time, with Djokovic entering as the No. 4 seed.

On paper, this is the kind of opening-round assignment Djokovic would expect to handle.

But paper doesn't play tennis.

The Serbian arrives in New York having not played since his second-round defeat to Thiago Agustín Tirante at the Cincinnati Open. Earlier in the season, he reached the Australian Open final, the third round at Roland Garros and the Wimbledon semifinals.

That résumé is hardly embarrassing.

Still, for a player attempting to survive seven best-of-five-set matches to win the title, fitness and recovery are becoming just as important as forehands and backhands.

Why This US Open Could Be Djokovic's Best Chance in Years

There is a rather interesting twist to Djokovic's 25th-major pursuit.

The draw has opened up.

World No. 1 Jannik Sinner is not playing after withdrawing with a right-knee injury. Sinner had been enjoying an extraordinary 2026 season, compiling a 44-3 record and winning six titles, including Wimbledon.

That is a sizeable obstacle removed from Djokovic's path.

And then there's Carlos Alcaraz.

The defending champion is back, but the Spaniard is returning to singles competition after roughly four months away because of a wrist injury. Alcaraz confirmed his participation only shortly before Sinner's withdrawal, making his form one of the tournament's biggest question marks.

In other words, Djokovic has been handed an opportunity.

But opportunity and certainty are two completely different animals.

The Alcaraz Problem Hasn't Gone Away

If Djokovic wants to win the title, Carlos Alcaraz could still be waiting somewhere near the business end of the tournament.

The two are in the same half of the draw, meaning a potential meeting could come in the semifinals rather than the final.

That is a mouth-watering possibility.

It is also potentially a nightmare.

Alcaraz defeated Djokovic in the 2025 US Open semifinal, before going on to win the title.

The Spaniard also beat Djokovic in the 2026 Australian Open final.

So if the draw delivers another Djokovic-Alcaraz clash in New York, there will be considerably more at stake than a place in the final.

There will be history, rivalry and probably enough tension to power half of Manhattan.

Alexander Zverev Could Be the Quiet Threat

While much of the attention is naturally directed toward Djokovic and Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev deserves serious consideration.

The German arrives as a Grand Slam champion after winning the 2026 French Open, and he has also reached the Wimbledon final this year.

Zverev has already demonstrated that he can survive the physical grind of a major tournament.

The US Open has also been a source of unfinished business for him.

He reached the 2020 final and came painfully close to winning his first Grand Slam title before Dominic Thiem fought back to claim the championship.

Now, with Sinner absent and Alcaraz returning from injury, the door is wider than it has been for some time.

Zverev will be hoping nobody closes it.

America's Grand Slam Drought Is Still a Story

There is another storyline worth watching.

American men's tennis has been waiting for a Grand Slam singles champion since Andy Roddick won the 2003 US Open.

That's more than two decades.

Taylor Fritz came painfully close in 2024, reaching the US Open final before losing to Sinner.

Now Fritz and fellow American Ben Shelton are among the players hoping to end that drought on home soil.

Shelton arrives with momentum after winning the Canadian Open, while Fritz remains one of the most experienced American contenders.

The crowd will certainly have an opinion.

And New York crowds are not exactly famous for keeping those opinions to themselves.

Why Djokovic's Age Matters

Let's address the elephant, or perhaps the Serbian elephant in the room.

Djokovic is 39 years old.

For most professional tennis players, that would be an age when retirement isn't a question of if but when.

Djokovic, naturally, has never been particularly interested in following normal sporting logic.

But age is beginning to matter.

The US Open is played in New York's late-summer heat and humidity, and a men's Grand Slam requires a player to win potentially seven best-of-five-set matches over roughly two weeks.

Reuters noted concerns about whether Djokovic's body can withstand the tournament's physical demands, particularly after he struggled with health issues in the heat at Cincinnati.

His experience remains an enormous advantage.

His body, however, doesn't always read the script.

Djokovic Still Has the Mental Weapon

If there is one thing Djokovic has repeatedly demonstrated, it is his ability to survive situations that look completely hopeless.

His greatest weapon isn't necessarily his serve or return.

It is the uncomfortable feeling he gives opponents when they think they've finally got him.

A two-set deficit?

He can come back.

Hostile crowd?

He can handle it.

Five-set marathon?

That's practically part of the job description.

The question in 2026 isn't whether Djokovic knows how to win a Grand Slam.

We know he does.

The question is whether he can produce that level consistently across seven matches against a generation that is younger, faster and increasingly fearless.

What Would a 25th Grand Slam Mean?

Quite simply, it would be enormous.

Djokovic currently shares the all-time record of 24 Grand Slam singles titles with Margaret Court.

Winning the US Open would give him No. 25 and make him the outright record holder.

It would also give Djokovic his fifth US Open championship, adding another chapter to a tournament where he has already won in 2011, 2014, 2018 and 2023. His record at the event stands at an astonishing 95-15 entering this year's tournament.

For a player who has already rewritten so much of tennis history, No. 25 would be another line written in permanent ink.

And What About the Women's Draw?

While Djokovic dominates the men's headlines, the women's tournament has its own fascinating storyline.

Aryna Sabalenka, the defending women's champion, returns to defend her crown.

She faces a challenging draw, while stars including Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff, Jessica Pegula and Mirra Andreeva are among those with realistic ambitions of lifting the trophy.

American fans will also be watching Jessica Pegula, who continues to chase the Grand Slam title that has so far eluded her.

And then there is Venus Williams, who is set to make her 26th US Open main-draw appearance, another remarkable chapter in an already extraordinary career.

So no, the tournament isn't exactly short on storylines.

What to Expect When the Tournament Starts

The singles main draw begins on Sunday, August 30, with the men's and women's finals scheduled for September 13 and September 12 respectively.

For casual fans, the simplest way to understand the tournament is this:

Lose, and you're out.

Unlike a league where a team can recover from a bad weekend, Grand Slam singles is essentially a knockout race.

Win seven matches and you're champion.

Lose at the wrong moment and you're booking a flight home.

That format is one reason every match matters.

So, Can Djokovic Actually Win No. 25?

Yes. But calling him a clear favourite would be too easy.

Sinner's absence undeniably improves his chances. Alcaraz's injury comeback creates uncertainty. Zverev is a serious threat, and several younger players are capable of causing damage.

But Djokovic has something the rest of the field cannot manufacture overnight:

24 Grand Slam titles worth of experience.

He also has four US Open championships and knows exactly what it takes to survive the madness of New York.

The bigger question is physical.

Can his body give him seven matches at the level required?

Because if the answer is yes, dismissing Djokovic would be one of those decisions people spend the next fortnight regretting.

And knowing Djokovic, he probably wouldn't mind that at all.

The stage is set at Flushing Meadows. Djokovic has history within touching distance, Alcaraz has a title to defend, Zverev has a new Grand Slam target, and America's contenders smell an opportunity.

Now the racquets can do the talking.